Carolingian Intellectual Renewal and the Role of the Family

1. Carolingian Intellectual Renewal and the Role of the Family

2. Carolingian Renaissance • “Rebirth” of learning • Charlemagne needed educated clergy and government officials • Partially appropriate • Not known for creative, original ideas. • Revival of classical studies • Preserve Latin and early Christian culture

3. Carolingian Renaissance • Major goal of monasteries • Benedictine monks copied manuscripts • Scriptoria – writing rooms for monks • Frankish monasteries produced bound books using parchment or sheepskin rather than papyrus and put jewels on the cover • Carolingian miniscule – small print, not cursive, easy to read

4. Carolingian Renaissance • Impact • 90% of the ancient Roman texts exist because of Carolingian monks • Allowed for Renaissance in 12th, 14th, 15th centuries

5. Carolingian Renaissance • Charlemagne established a palace school • Invited European scholars to his court • Alcuin – “greatest scholar of the day” • Taught classical Latin and “liberal arts”

6. Family and Marriage • Marriages arranged by fathers, uncles to meet family needs • Wives expected to be faithful • Many aristocratic men had concubines • Charlemagne had several

7. Family and Marriage • Church attempted to influence marriage • Add blessings to the civil ceremony • Weddings should be public • Girl over 15 must consent to her guardian’s choice

8. Family and Marriage • Marriage (cont.) • Emphasize monogamy and permanence • Condemned concubinage and “easy divorce” – adultery of wife or impotence of husband • Shortly after Charlemagne’s reign, church completely prohibits divorce • 13th century – divorce largely eliminated

9. Family and Marriage • Changes in Family life • Nuclear over extended • Conjugal over kin • Leads to the growth of urban life • Role of women • Extended family – eldest woman controlled all other female members • Nuclear family – wife dominated by husband, has control of children